that teacheth his sonne greeveth the enemie and before his friends hee shall reioyce of him though his father die yet hee is as if he weee not dead for he hath left one behind him that is like him in his life hee saw him and had ioy in him and was not sorry in his death neither was hee ashamed before his enemies he left behind him an avenger against his enemies and one that should shew fauour vnto his friends hee that flattereth his soone bindeth vp his wounds and his heart is grieued at euery cry An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will bee wilfull if thou bring vp thy sonne delicately hee shall make thee affraid and if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse laugh not with him least thou bee sorrie with him and least thou dash thy teeth in the end giue him no liberty Keepe thy child vnder in the time of his youth and so thou shalt haue ioy of him in the end in his youth and wincke not at his folly bow downe his necke while hee is yong and beate him on the sides while he is a child least he waxe stubborne and so bee disobedient vnto thee and so bring sorrow vnto thy heart therefore chastise thy child and be diligent therein withould not correction from thy child for if thou Prou. 23. smightest him with the rod hee shall not die thereof thou smigbtest him with the rod but thou deliuerest his soule from hell and againe if thou Eccle. 7. haue Daughters keepe their body shew not thy face chearefull towards them marry thy daughter and so shalt thou performe a waighty matter Eccle. 42. but giue her to a man of vnderstanding How a man ought to bestowe his daughter If thy daughter be a wanton keepe her straightly least shee cause thine enemies to laugh thee to scorne and the whole Citty to giue the an euill report and so thou bee faine to heare thy shame of euery Deut. 23. man thou shalt not hold thy daughter to whoredome that the land fall not to whoredome and waxefull of wickednesse If thy daughter bee not shamefast hould her straightly least shee abuse her selfe by ouermuch liberty Deut. 23. beware of the dishonesty of her eyes there shall bee no whore among the daughters of Israell nor whorekeepers among the sonnes of Israell A misnurtered soone is the dishonor of the Father a foolish daughter shall be little regarded and she that commeth to dishonesty bringeth her father to heauinesse a daughter that is past shame dishonoreth both her Father and her Mother Now you see what wise councounsell golden precepts are here giuen to Parents for the gouerning of Children so that more cannot well bee said or at least need not but onely this aduising you not to bee negligent in the execution of these thinges aswell for the discharge of your owne duties as for the good of your Children but I haue heard some Parents so vnwise which when their Children haue done amisse and they haue beene aduised to giue them correction for it they haue answered I cannot doe it for I cannot abide to fight with my children see what a silly answer was here made and yet many such He that loueth his chi◠maketh him often to feele the rod and so preserueth him from greater dangers Pro. 23. fooles there be callest thou this fighting thou errest I might haue said thou lyest for here are no enemies opposed one against another to endanger the life of either but tender harted loue from a good father or mother which seeketh by gentle correction of a rod to deliver the soule of the child from hell wilt thou then not doe so then thou art guilty of thy childs going to hell thou shalt follow it thither too if thou amend not thinkest thou it is enough for thee to chide thy Childe for his fault That is not enough for Parents to chide their children but they must vse correction also when hee doth amisse I say nay God will haue thee to vse correction too looke vpon the heauie iudgement hee shewed vpon old Elye and his Children becaue he did not correct them for their faults and that alone may serue to terrifie and teach you too not to neglect so great a charge We finde that when the Lord did reveale himselfe vnto Samuell the first thing which he made knowne vnto him was the euill hee would bring vpon his master Elye the words of God himselfe are these behald I will doe a thing in Israell whereof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle 1. Sam. 2. In that day I will raise vp against Elye all thinges which I haue spoken concerning his house when I beginne I will also make an end and I haue told him I will iudge his house for euer for the inniquity which hee knoweth because his sonne ran into a slaunder and he stayd them not And in the next chapter following An example or Parents not to deferre the correction of their children we see the execution of Gods iustice in the performance of his word for the Arke of God was taken from them by their enemies the Philistines and the sons so Elye Hophne Phynias were both slaine the same day and old Elye being Eighty yeares of age when hee heard 1. Sam. 3. these tydings fell backward Gods iustice shewed vpon old Elye for not correcting his sonnes from the seate he sate vpon and so brake his necke his daughter in law the wife of his sonne Phineas being with child and neere the time of her deliuerance shee hearing these heavie newes fell suddenly in trauell of her child-birth and so dyed The 14. Chapter YOu see what heauie iudgements God powred vpon this man and his Children because hee did not correct them and yet they being in the state of manhood hee a very old man you would haue thought hee had done enough when hee rebuked them with sharpe words telling them and no doubt but that it was with griefe too that all the people reported euill of them nay wisely he telleth them more that if one man doe sinne against another the iudge may iudge it but none may pleade for him that sinneth against the Lord yet because hee did not more sharpely and seuerely punish them you see the Lord thus sharpely doth punish both him and his Now what will you say to this example I know what you would plade you would faine excuse your selues still and say that though when they bee children you then may gouerne thē yet being past that state they are Children when they be growne to mans estate are not then past governing of their Parents growne past your gouerment therefore then you cannot so well governe them but you see here by these examples of Elyes sonnes they are not then free from your gouerment nor you freed from gouerning them yet it may bee you
Amen The duty of Parents The Eleauenth Chapter THis duty of Parents The duty of Parents I haue deuided into two partâ— I haue deuided into two maine or principall poynts the one the education and gouerning of Children in the time of their youth and the other what Parents ought to doe vnto their Children when they are come to bee of a more riper age And for the first for the bringing vp of Children in the time of their youth it will be thought The first the bringing vp of Children in the time of their youth to bee but to small purpose to spend my time in such a busines and that I had more need to wright of the other then of this considering that we see dayly in this our age with griefe that wheÌ„ many Parents haue brought The second what they ought to doe wben they be of riper age vp their Children a long time with great care costs and charges and hoping that then they shall bee euen past the worst and so they to receiue some comfâ—â— by them for their long care and paynes taking with them to say plainely and truly of them 〈◊〉 many of them are then euen past the best so that if counsaile in this case may bee had it might seeme very well giuen and the paines taken in such a case well bestowed But for gouerning and bringing vp of them in their Childhood or yonger yeares it may be obiected as I sayd before to bee a needlesse thing considering that nature it selfe doth teach the very bruit beasts to nourish cherish and comfort their young and therefore men and women whom God hath endued with so many excellent gifts as knowledge vnderstanding wisedome and the rest farre aboue all the rest of his creatures besides cannot erre in this poynt of duty And againe another reason may be alleaged that there hath been so much and so long teaching to this effect that men and women in these our dayes for the most part of them haue been instructed in these things themselues euen from their youthes and every priuate mans house is furnished with Bibles Bookes to this effect so that euery man may bee his owne Schoolemaster herein will it be thought then that Parents cannot instruct their Children in these things â— surely no. Indeed I doe confesse this in What a great blessing wee inioy more then our forefathers did through the plenteous and publique teaching of the Gospel wherby we learne both how to gouerne our selues and others some sort to bee true and blesse the Lord for this his worke yeâ— be he for euer blessed for this his great mercy towards vs for that we liue in such and so happie a time wherin the word of God is so plentiful and openly taught vs euery man that wil may enioy the same at home with him to the comfort of him and his Our Fathers had not this priueledge they might mumble on their beades but not matter on their Bibles on payne of cursings but if they did they fryed for it and therefore blessed are your eyes in that they see and your eares in that they heare happy are you in whose harts these things are sowne which carefully and zealously bring forth fruit hereby to the glory of God the discharge of your owne duties herein of which number I doubt not but that God hath plenty amongst vs which doe carefully labour in the discharge of these things as well as hee had in the dayes of Eliah Seauen Thousand more 1. King 19. then hee knew of that neuer honoured Ball. But giue mee leaue a little I pray you and I will but entreate you to take a view as in a glasse of the abuses both of the Parents and the Children of our time and you shall see with griefe many that doe it not and too may that know not whether they haue a duty to performe herein or no and too many that know it and neuer regard to practise it for see we not that the Lapwing is not more forward in going before she can cast off her shell then the Impes of our time are in speaking euill before they can well speake I speake not of speaking well but of speaking Children forward to speak euill before they can scarce speake plaine for doth not the child call his owne mother drab and queane and his father foole and knaue and such like and yet the foolish Parents reioyce to heare them chat thus nay I would they did not teach them such things themselues but hereof it commeth as a iust plague for their follies that before they can well goe from their hands they heare them curse them to their face Nay looke wee further and see we not many that wheâ— they haue but learned to speake and goe they straight fall to pilfering and stealing and yet euen these things are wincked at yea defended too many leand parents for their proffits sake as they thinke as if the every were good husbandry but looke yet farther vnto them which bee of more yeares that one would thinke should haue some knowledge of God of his lawes do we not dayly heare theÌ„ as we passe almost in euery place blaspheming the holy name of God with great oathes and singing of most lewd and filthy songs full of most odious speeches to the The leaudnes of Children is the ill guiding of the Parents griefe of any good heart or chast care doth not this shew the bad and negligent guiding and gouerning them in the prime of their youth yes surely this is the very cause hereof therefore if writing or speaking will or may doe any good in this case here is cause both to wrighâ— and speake too it is high time to doe it These thinges when I had with griefe considered I could not keepe my penne from wrighting for euen for Sions sake I will not hold my tongue for Esay 62. Ierusalems sake I will not rest Moses the great Prophet and chosen servant of God being Parents ought to teach their children the lawes of God directed froÌ„ the mouth of God himselfe how to teach and instruct his people whom hee had chosen the Children of Israelâ— among other principalles of their duty this is one chiefe Deu. 11. thing wherin he often instructed Deu. 31. them that they should teach their ChildreÌ„ the lawes of God see here then thy duty what or whomsoeuer thou bee if thou be a father thou art commanded to teach thy Children and t 〈…〉 must teach theÌ„ the lawes of God Deut. â— for this was not spoken to the Priests or to the elders or the rulers Deu. 6. of the people onely but vnto al the people in generall both high and low rich and poore aswell the meanest as the greatest No man exempted from doing this but all must doe it aswell the vnlearned as the learned for none are here exempted euery man
and if thou wouldest that thy labours and the labours of thy Children and Servants should prosper the day following then doe you ioyne together in Prayer vnto Almighty God for it for so it must be for where 2. or 3. be gathered together in his name hee hath promised not Mat. 18. onely to be amongst them but also to grant their requests hee will make thee plentious in euery worke of thy hand in the fruit of thy body thy Children shall Deut. 30. prosper also and in the fruit of thy land for thy wealth what wouldest thou more desire and it must not be done now then when thou lystest but it must dayly bee done for this is that morning and euening sacrifice which we must dayly offer vnto the eares of Almighty God euen our humble harts by the caulnes of our lipes And seeing thou art commanded Parents ought to take their children to Church with them and examine them how they spend their time there to teach thy Children at all times both sitting at home and going abroad see that thou neglect not to take them to the Church daily with thee to heare the word of God and withall that they spend not their time there idlely nor vnprofitablely but by a due examinatiō of them whē they come home or as thou walkest abroad with them know how they haue profited that so God may bee glorified in the worke your selues better instructed and your dutyes discharged And now that we haue proued that there is a duty belonging vnto Parents and that they see their charge for the performāce thereof it will not bee greatly amisse if wee see how this charge is by them performed but the consideration of these thinges maketh mee euen with griefe to Nothing more deare then time and yet see how these times abuse it lament to see how negligently idely and lewdly most men doe spend their time in these dayes that time then which nothing is more deere and precious nothing more slippery to hold nor nothing more vnrecouerable being past and for which they shall giue account this time I say which they spend in idlenesse Dicing Carding and Bowling in drunkenes whoring wherby they consume both themselues the estate both of their wiues and children for whereas God hath giuen them sixe dayes for themselues to labour in and hath reserued but one to be sāctified to his owne vse all these be too little for many of them to spend in these wicked exercises aforenamed and therefore they will lengthen out the time with the night two but not an hower to serue God in of all this time Oh wicked man how darest thou thus abuse the great patience of the good God in thus consuming thy time and robbing thy children of their patrimony by wasting those thinges whereof thou art but a steward and for which thou must be accountable vnto him But here me thinkes one doth obiect against me and sayth I am too bold in my reproofes and am in an error for though sayth he I doe spend yet I spend but mine owne not my childrens But I tell thee thou art in an error thy selfe in doing thus for what I haue spoken I can will approue to bee true by the word of God it selfe in his due place where I shall haue more occasion to speake of this matter then here What good instructions can those men giue vnto their Childrē which doe dayly runne into all wickednesse themselues I haue but what good instructions thinke you can these men giue vnto their Children which doe themselues dayly runne so dangerously euen with greedinesse vnto their owne destructions for if sault haue lost his sauour wherewith shall it bee salted Mat. 5. and such as the tree is such will be the fruit if you bee rude Mat. 7. and vnciuell like the horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding what knowledge can your children haue then yet it cannot be denied but that the world is too full of such The wise man forbiddeth fathers to play with their children Eccle. 30. least they bring them to heauidesse but now adaies parents wil not onely play with their children but run dayly from play to play thinking it to be a good excercise for them to bring them to see stage playes interludes thus corrupting their young yeares with vices and making themselues actors in the diuells Comody Solomon forbiddeth parents to bring vp their childrē delicately yet you possesse thē Parets ought not to possesse their children with pride with so much pride in the time of their youth that many times it is the overthrow both of them and your selues yea and your selues would after redresse it and cannot Oh that you that be parents of children would be more circumspect herein and wise in your owne conversation that you might be lanthornes of light and not of darkenesse vnto them for your selues are the cause of Parents the cause of the euills that are in children all these euills which wee dayly see in youth your euill example it is which dayly corrupteth your children and you your selues will pay a deere price for it if you amend it not Is not this a miserable case that Parents should thus neglect so great a duty as this which conserneth both the good of themselues and Children little doe these men regard that the soules of their Children are in their charge aswell as their bodies yet Moses doth not record of Iacob Gen. 46. that he brought so many persons Both Parents and governors of Families are charged with the soules aswell as the bodies of those of whom they haue the governement into Egypt meaning their number but he sayth he brought so many soules thither reckoning them by their better part as of that which wee should haue most care of but what care haue those Parents of their Childrens soules which are thus carelesse of their owne and yet the very heathē Philosophers can tell vs that though what manner of children shall bee borne vnto a man lieth not in his power yet by right bringing them vp that they may proue good lyeth in our power therefore be you wise in looking to your owne waies The 13. Chapter THe wise man would haue Parents to bee better instructed to the end they may better governe their Children and to that end hee plainely setteth downe by what instructions dissipline it must be done for he telleth you that an euill nurtered sonne is the dishonor Eccle. 22. of his Father therefore would haue you bee carefull in gouerning them in the time of their youth not giuing them any liberty nor wincking at their follies he sayth That he that loueth his sonne causeth him often to feele the rod that he may haue ioy of him in the end hee that chastiseth his sonne shall haue ioy of him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance Eccle. 30. And hee
it had beene so indeed but know you that the wisedome of the Iob. 37. world is foolishnesse with God for in his word by which wee are to be ruled he hath commanded vs otherwaies For although you haue brought vp your Children to the yeares of discression so that then you thinke they are able to make shift for themselues as you say yet may you not then so leaue them to themselues for there is yet more to bee done that must not bee left vndone for thou must prouide for thy sonne a Wife for thy Daughter an Husband so as the wise man sayth Thou shalt performe a waighty matter Eccle. 7. thou must not leaue the younglings Parents ought to provide for the marriages of their children both sonnes daughters to themselues for to make their owne choyse but thou must doe it and that in his due time we find that Abraham was very carefull to performe this duty althought he was so farre Gen. 24. in yeares that hee could not travile about the businesse himselfe for he appoynted his servant the steward of his house what to doe and where to provide a Wife for his Sonne Isaacke and thus did Isaacke vnto Iacob his Sonne Gen. 28. appoynting him where to goe there only to make his choise thus did Hagar although but a woman dwelling in the wildernesse yet shee provided a Gen. 25. Wife for her sonne Ishmaell Yea the very heathen did obserue this rule for Sechem the father Gen. 34. of Hamor did sue vnto Iacob for his daughter Dina to bee a wife vnto his sonne yea Ibzâ—n Iudge of Israell though hee had Iug. 12. Thirty sons as many daughters yet he did provide for them all both Wiues for his sonnes Husbands for his daughters and many such proofes wee haue in the Scrptures by all which it appeareht that Parents haue alwaies euen from the beginning beene vere carefull to obserue this as a principall poynt of their duty to their Children And this must be done in due time thou must not doe as too many do in these daies which wil not suffer their childreÌ„ to marry but when they will to whom Parents not to force or limite their childrens mariage they plase nay fathers will doe more then fathers ouhgt to doe they will disinherite their Sons and bereaue their Children of their patrimonyes if they will not marry to their liking where wealth may serue to satisfie their coveteous mindes so in stead of being kind and loving Fathers vnto their Children they become tyrants vnto them not so much regarding the younglings likings whereby they may liue the rest of their daies in loue together and so bring vp their children together in the feare of God as their owne affections Whereupon by such enforced marriages if often commeth to passe that when the young couples beginne as it were to tast each of other they so dislike one of the other that they forsake one another the Wife the companie The danger that ensueth by constrayned marriages of her Husband or the Husband of the Wife and fall to that abhominable act of adultery and thus such Parents doe become both culpable and authors of their sinne Yet I doe not speake against this â—as giuing liberty vnto youthes that they may marry at their owne pleasure or liking without the consent of Parents or abridging the authority of Parents in this case God forbid I should so doe or thinke but I speake this against marriages constrayned limited for marriage was ordained as a remedy 1. Cor. 7. against sinne but they which prolong the time of their childrens marriage either for pleasing their own affections in their choyse or for the desire of wealth through coveteousnesse or for that they wil not part with any of their substance in dowrie with them such I say are many times the occasion of their childrens sinne for Saint Paule sayth it is better to marry then to burne in desire Had Iudah giuen his daughter in law vnto his sonne Shelah in Gen. 38. time according to his promise he had not committed that horrible fact of Incest with her himselfe Againe when Samson had made his choyse of a wife of that heathen generation the vncircumcised Philistines which were not onely enemies to the people of Israell but also vnto God himselfe when hee desired this woman of his Father and would needs marry her hee did not disinherit him or cast him out of his favour for it but yet wisely rebuketh him saying is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy breatheren and amongst all my people that thou must goe to take a Wife of the vncircumcised Philistians yet when hee saw that his affection was setled on What Parents ought to doe in case of mariage to their children her he was content both to goe with him to procure the mariage for him it is sayd there that this marriage did come of the Lord though his Father knew it not I could wish therefore that Parents would follow the counsaile of Manoah in this â—â—g â—4 place by their wisedomes to perswade when occasion shall serue but nor otherwise The 16. Chapter ANd now concerning how Parents ought to bestow their goods wee reade that Abraham was Gen. 15. minded to make Eliazer the steward of his house heire of all that he had but it was before he had any Children and yet hee was forbidden by God himselfe so to doe for God hauing determined to giue him issue of his A plaine profe that a man may not giue his goods from his children own body would not suffer him so to doe but telleth him directly that one that should proceed out of his owne bowels hee should be his heyre And the Prophet Dauid hee telleth vs likewise that it is the speciall gift of God his great Psal 127. blessing vnto man when he hath heyres of his owne body to possesse those lands or goods which hee hath gathered together and shall leaue behind him and this alone might serue to approue that a man may not dispose of his goods from his children but the Scriptures are plentifull of these examples Abraham gaue his goods vnto Gen. 25. his Sonne Isacke as you see he was appoynted of God Aaron Exod. 28. was commanded of God to santifie his sonnes vnto the order of priesthood vnto which the Lord had chosen him and Elye did 1. Sam. 2. place his sonnes in the same order nay he did not take it from theÌ„ although hee knew that they were wicked and Dauid did not 1. King 1. at his death devide his Kingdome vnto his sonnes but left it wholy vnto his sonne Salomon 1. King 11. neither did he deuide it but left it vnto his sonne Rehoboam and he also left it vnto his son Abâ—am 1. King 14. and he vnto his sonne Asa and 2. Cro.
neyther delude Children may not delude their Parents by lying words thy father with lying words to say thou wilt doe his command and haue a wicked intent in thy heart not to performe it nor thou must not dare rebelliously to gaine-say his word but if thy father or mother doe commaund thee to doe any thing thou must gladly hartily willingly forthwith euen instantly with all diligence performe their iust request and thus shalt thou performe thy duty vnto God by this thy obedience vnto theÌ„ for else how canst thou say thou performest Children performe not their duty to God which performe not their obedience vnto their Parents thy duty vnto God wheÌ„ thou performest not thy duty vnto thy Parents whom hee commandeth thee to obey and honour Thou must remeÌ„ber also that thou art their good therefore of thee and by thee their good or profit should arise I meane so long as thou aâ—t vnder their authority or gouâ—rment thy whole endeuors both of body mind must be altogether bent vnto the good and profit of thy Parents Chileren ought to deaâ—e iustly in the vse of their Parents goods seeking wholy their profit I say it must be wholy thou must not keepe any part of it backe eyther to thine owne vse or to vse vnthriftily to the hurt of thy Parents for thou owest vnto theÌ„ more then thou canst doe and therefore a great heauie iudgment doth hang ouer the heads of those wicked children which doe pâ—â—loyne steale away the goods of their Parents though neuer so priuately either to giue vnto those whoÌ„ they doe affect or otherwise to consume or wast after their owne willes And euen so it is with those The hurt which many leaud children doe vnto their Parents in not dealing iustly with them whoÌ„ their parents do appoint vnto any lawfull calling labour or busines if they negligeÌ„tly leawdle or idely doe spend that time which they ought to employ only in those affaires doe they not rob their Parents of that profit which should arise vnto their parents by their industry in that time and so by their lewdnesse doe great hurt both vnto their Parents themselues yea surely and how great an offence this is wherein they thus disobey and dishonour their Parents and consequently God himselfe iudge you And as it is thus by these in wasting consuming the goods Schollers abusing their time in learning wrong their Prents in doing it of their Parents euen so it is with them which wast and consume that most precious time which they ought to spend in schooles to the attaining of their learning by play and idlenesse thereby wasting the profits of their Parents labours nay I would it were not thus with those whose learning should teach them to make better vse of their time then they doe both dishonoring God and their Parents The 20. Chapter BVt I will not stand vpon amplification of words they are plaine enough theÌ„selues the whole Booke of God is full of instructions to this end the soule that desireth knowledge will seeke it there and amongst others very much hath Salomon laboured to teach this duty of obedience vnto Children as appeareth in many places of his Bookes as in the first of Pro. My Son heare thy Fathers Pro. 1. instructions and forsake not thy Mothers teachingâ— and againe heare ye children the instruction if Pro. 4. a Father and giue eare to learne vnderstanding for I doe giue you a good doctrine therefore forsake not my law for I was my fathers sonne tender and deare in the sight of my mother when hee taught me and sayd vnto me let thy heart hold fast my words keepe my Commandement and thou shalt liue And againe Heare my Sonne keepe thy Father Pro. 6. Commandements and forsake 〈◊〉 thy Mothers instructions bind them alwaies vpon thine heart and tie them about thy necke it shall leade thee when thou walkest watch this when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee 〈◊〉 for the CoÌ„mandement is a lanthoras and instruction a light and correction for instruction is the way of life And againe A foole despiseth his Pro. 13. Fathers instructions but he that regardeth correction is wise Againe A wise Sonne maketh a glad Father but a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his Mother Againe a wise sonne will obey the instruction of his Father but a scorner will heare no rebuke But before I passe further I must not so lightly passe ouer A parlse supposition which children haue of their Parents correcting them some of Salomons words heere spokeÌ„ for I know there be many foolish Children in these dayes which when their Parents reproue or correct them for their follies or faults committed doe eyther suppose it to bee more of spleene and anger towards them then otherwise or that they doe not beare that naturall loue towards them which they should doe but let not such idle leawd thoughts possesse either thy heart or minde but remember that he telleth thee that correction for instructions are the way of life and that he that regardeth the correction of his Father is wise well I will goe on with Salomons words for sayth hee He that destroyeth his Father or Pro. 19. chaseth away his mother is a leawd and a shamefull child Againe he Pro. 20. that curseth his father or his mother his light shall bee put out in obscure darkenesse Againe Obey thy Father Pro. 23. that begot thee and despise 〈…〉 thy mother when shee is old againe he that robbeth his Father and sayth Pro. 25. it is no transgression is the compâ—nion of a man that destroyeth Againe the eye that mocketh his Father Pro. 30. and despiseth the instructions if his Mother let the Rauens of the valley plucke it out and the young Eagles eate it And thus you see how Salomon hath laboured to expresse this duty of Children in their obedience vnto their Parents and all good children haue applyed theÌ„selues to performe the same euen from the beginning yea long before the law was giuen by God to that end the very law of nature thorough grace did worke this obedience in them as appeareth by that rare obedience of Isack vnto his Father yeelding himselfe euen to become a sacrifice Gen. 42. vnto the hand of his Father Iacob likewise obeying the command Gen. 27. of his Mother obtayned the blessing thereby But Iosephs dutifull obedience Gen. 47. vnto his Father and cherishing of him and his in his old age sheweth vnto all good children a perfect patterne of all dutifull obedience and the obedience of the daughter of Iephtah likewise may not be forgotten who although her father had vowed to offer vnto the Lord in sacrifice and that shee had liberty at Iudg. 11. her pleasure two whole monetâ—â— to go vnto the mountaines to bewaile Examples of the obedience and duty of good
children vnto their Parents her virginity yet at the prefixed time shee willingly came and offered her selfe vnto the hands of her father to performe his vow with her Solomon also when his mother came to speake with him so 1. King 2. soone as he saw her hee left his kingly seat and caine to meete her and reuerently bowed himselfe vnto her and caused her to bee placed on his right hand as he sate on the throne of his kingdome many such examples there bee besides these as Tâ—bâ—â— and others all teaching this duty Tob. 14. vnto children And as God hath commanded it thus to be done see how highly hee liketh of those which doe performe it the stone of the 〈…〉 bites doth plainely Ier. 35. shew where the Prophet Ieremiah from the mouth of God himselfe pronounceth these wore's vnto them T 〈…〉 Lord of hoasts the God of 〈…〉 cause you obeyed the 〈…〉 of Ionadaâ— your Father 〈…〉 How God blesseth those childreÌ„ which obey their Parents kept all his preâ—â—pts 〈…〉 〈…〉 ding vnto all that hee hath commanded you therefore thus sayth the Lord of heastâ— the God of Israel Ionadab the son of Rechaâ— shall not want a man to stand before mâ—â— for euer what neede I now â—o cite more places of Scripture to this end our Sauiour Christ himselfe Luk. 2. became a patterne vnto you in this poynt for hee became obedient vnto his earthly Parents If these things will not suffice then wil noâ—e The 21. Chapter BVt I must ye proceede a little further in this poynâ— of obedience fâ—â— there bee many which when they are come to some yeares as they thinke of discretion that then will bee no longer vnder the obedience of their Parents but to dispose of themselues at their owne pleasure nay I would to Goâ— that some of them did not thâ—â— oppose themselues against their Parents well they finde thâ— word of God doth teach them otherwise for thou must not then so dispose of thy selfe canst thou bee content to giue them leaue to nourish cherish and to maintayne thee both in sicknesse and health all the time of thy youth and wilt thou now â—e like a wilde and vnruly colt that casts off his bridle and shewes his master his foure shooes If thou didst want the vse of thy limbes or thy sight or the vse of thy speech thou cast then bee content to bee gouerned by them euen vntill thy olde age or dying day and wilt thou enioying these and all other blessings from Almighty God euen to the full when thou comest to those yeares wherein thy wisedome Children should take regard of the experimented wise counsailes of their aged Parents should shew it selfe like a flourishing oliue tree yeelding obedience and honour vnto thy Parents thereby comforting ioying their aged yeares then theâ— I say to cast them off yea that good also which might come to thee by that wise prudeÌ„t counsaile which they by long experience haue gained might to thee sure proue an anchor hold of exceeding much good And this I speake also in reproofe Children ought to be ruled by their Parents in case of their marriage yea to the reproach of those giddy headded wantons of our time which will not giue their Parents leaue to make their choyse of marriage for them nor bee ruled by them in their choyse whereupon as a iust plague vnto them it often commeth to passe that not hauing their Parents goodwill in their choyse they not onely lose that which is an vnualuable losse I meane the blessing of their Parents which though children regard not in these dayes yet in times past it was of such reuerent regard among Gods children that their fathers blessing was vnto them as precious as their What an account good children made in times past of the blessing of their Parents granfathers inheritance whereby thorough want of the fathers loue this blessing a iust plague and punishment from God for so high an offence it is commonly seene beggery followeth I speake not this vnadvisedly as of supposition for God is witnesse with me that I speake the truth I haue seene it with mine eyes to my griefe of heart Oh sinne of disobedience euen in the highest degree of nature when a sonne or daughter shall presume in priuate to take vnto themselues the estate of mariage without the consent of Parents ought not the father to know yea and to make choyse what flesh should be ioyned vnto his owne and what fruit should be grafted into his owne stocke and to see that it should bee for the good and honor thereof yes surely and those which be good and gracious Children will giue their Parents the preheminence thereof and also bee ruled by them in these things but there be some which can bee content to bee ruled by their Parents in case of marriage for the benefit of their helpe which may arise thereby but they are not willing to stay the time which their Parents shall thinke fit for them But this did not Isacke for hee Gen. 25. would not presume to make any Good childreÌ„ haue alwaies had regard to leaue the choyse of their marriage to thire Parents choyse but stayd his Fathers pleasure although it were till he was Forty yeares of age And Iacob wheÌ„ his father did appoint him then went to the place where he did appoynt him but not before where are those that doe follow the steps of these holy and chosen children of God that I many extoll them to the world alas they are not in these dayes to be found And yet the very heathen which knew not God nor his lawes yet the very light of nature taught this duty vnto them not to make their choyse of mariage Gen. 34. without the coÌ„sent of their Parents for thus did Shechem the sonne of Hamore sue vnto his Father for his good will to marry with Dinah the daughter of Iacob the servants of God had alwaies a speciall regard hereunto Samspon also would not presume Iudg. 14. to marry without the consent of his father no although he liked the woman exceeding well And as the naturall Parents haue this authority ouer their Children so doth it likewise belong vnto those which be gardians foster fathers as wee terme them which haue the bringing vp of youth whether they be of kindred or otherwise as wee see Ruth was obedient vnto her step Rut. 1. mother and vpon these and such like causes is our law grounded which permits not a ward being vnder the gouernement of his gardian to marry without his consent The 22. Chapter ANd as I haue labored to expresse this duty of obedience vnto children and yet but briefely run it ouer in respect of that which might bee spoken herein so it is needefull in some sort to shew the limitation thereof for it is not generall but is included within her bounds I did a little
touch it before when I said it consisted in all good and lawfull thinges and indeed it goeth no farther for if thy father or mother do command thee to do vnlawfull In what cases Children may refuse the command of their Parents thinges as to commit Idolatry to worship God contrary to his word thou must not obey them in these thinges or if thy father or mother doe command thee to commit treason against the King Prince or Magistrate whom he hath set ouer thee to gouerne thee or felloniously to murther any or to steale perloyne or defraud any man of his right thou must not obey them in any such thinges for as God hath cōmanded thee to obey them in goodnesse so hath he forbidden thee to yeeld obedience vnto them in euill the Children ought to shun the wickednes of their Parents Children that follow the wickednesse of their Parents God himselfe will puninsh them wee haue proofe therof in diuers places of the scripture but the Prophet Ezekiell expresseth it to the full I pray you reade the chapters for the doctrine therein is worthy of your greatest regard you shall there finde that the Lord sayth Behold all soules are mine both of Eze. 18. the Father of the Sonne the same soule that sinneth it shall dye but if the sonne seeing the wickednesse of his Father feareth and doth not commit such thinges surely he shall line sayth the Lord so that thus you see plainely that the Children may refuse to bee obedient vnto any wicked commande eyther of their Father or mother And the Apostle Peeter teacheth vs by Act. 4. his example rather to obey God then man and Daniell doth the Dan. 6. same And as God hath commanded thee to performe this obedience vnto thy Parents and hath appoynted thee in what manner nature to do the same and granted his blessing vnto the performers thereof euen so to Children which are stubborne and disobedient vnto their Parents God himselfe will punish the stubborne rebellious children which will take no regard of this his will to walke in the obedience thereof such disobedient ones doth he not leaue vnpunished nor neuer did but ether by the seueritie of their Parents or if that gentle and naturall punishment will not serue then giueth hee them vp into the hands of temperall Maiestrates so publikely to punish them as I expressed before in the duty of Parents but if both these in the execution of iustice vpon so high an offence be slacke in punishing them then he himselfe doth take the cause in hand yea he himselfe doth seuerely punish it as we see by his iustice shewed vpon the wicked sonnes of Elye whom hee slew both in 1. Sam. 4. one day by vntimely and sudden death and of that rebellious son of Dauid Absolon whō the Lord 2. Sam. 18. himselfe caused to be hanged on a tree by his owne hayre vntill his enemies came vpon him and slew him many such examples there bee to this end but these may suffice Children ought not to forsake their Parents either in pouerty or age but to relieue and comfort them euen till death And take heed that thou grow not weary of this thy duty but that with all loue thou doe continue this thy obedience vnto them euen to their dying day and that thou dispise them not either in age or pouerty for hee that dispiseth Father or Mother God will punish but vse them with all honour as Salomon did his Mother and cherish and norish them in age as Ioseph did remember 1. King 2. that Ruth would not Ruth 1. forsake her Mother in law and what shee gained by her labour she brought home to relieue her aged mother with And now with Ioshua I haue Ioshu 24 set before you the waies of the the Lord and I beseech him to giue vs grace to walke in the obedience thereof I had thought likewise to haue set before you some of the abuses of these our times wherein the wicked ones so much forgetting their duty to God and their Parents that not regarding their owne shame in the world no nor the feare of Gods iudgements to come doe dayly disturbe trouble nay misvse abuse their owne Parents but least I should in expressing such thinges giue way to that which I ought rather to suppresse I will rather bury these thinges in mine own breast with griefe in silecce The Diuell hath two many actors on the stage of this world that play these parts daily too publike the God of heauen and earth keepe your harts and consciences free from such thinges keepe you in the obedience of his holy Commadements Amen The duty of Masters The 23. Chapter GReat is the folly of yong people in this our time which by al meanes they may possible seeke to free theselues from the estate of seruitude when they are therein to the end they may be Masters A great folly in young people that seeke to bee masters before they know how to gouerne and gouenors themselues of others before they haue either yeares or wisedome sufficient to manage so great a businesse or discharg so waighty a matter as they then take vpon them in the estate of gouerning neither able to make choyse of their seruants with wisedome as they ought nor how to vse them with a good conscience as they should But Dauid giueth vs good instruction Gen. 39. for this busines for he willeth vs to chuse him to bee our seruant that is religious and vpright towards God that so our affaires may prosper as Potiphers did thorough the seruice of Gen. 30. good Ioseph and Laban by the seruice of Iacob for he that is not a faithfull seruant vnto God will neuer be a faithfull seruant vnto his Master as there doth come a blessing by the godly so the wicked seruant bringeth a curse where hee is for as one scabbed sheepe marreth a whole flocke so often times one leawd seruant spoyles a whole family but who followeth the rule of the Prophet How to chuse a good Seruant Dauid in the choyse of his family he sayth that he that hath a proud looke and a hauty stomacke shal not dwell with him But there be two many in these dayes of the contrary disposition for they will keepe none but such as can fight sweare and swager it out well Dauid would not doe so though hee were a King no he that leadeth a godly life shall bee his seruant there shall no deceitfull person dwell Psal 101. in his house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in his house nor sight but I would there were Masters should not suffer their seruants to sweare though in the sale of their wares not now two many which doe suffer their Seruants to lye sweare yea and forsweare too in the sale of their wares and yet these be counted good shop-men and fine chapmen indeede
〈…〉 CARTERS CHRISTIAN Common VVealth OR Domesticall Dutyes deciphered ¶ Printed at London by Tho Purfoot 1627. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE Maister Wardens and the Assistants of the worthy and famous Company of Gouldsmithes of this Honourable Citie of London Worshipfull Sirs INgratitude was a sin even vnto the Heathens so odious that Periander among the Corinthians made this law that if any in a Common weale prove◠vnthankefull hauing receiued a benefit he was to bee put to death and as the reliques of Gods Image in them soe nature in the sensible creatures hath ingrafted thankefulnesse to passe by those presidents produced by Historians which may seeme incredible the Naturalists obseruation of the Merlyon not to prey on the Larke which hath giuen warmth to her cold feet is remarkeable And the spirit of God in Scripture hath plentifully inioyned it That I may proue my selfe therefore instructed in this duty not by nature onely but by grace in this glorious light of the Gospell I present vnto your view and patronage these poore indeavours the fruit of a thankefull heart expect you cannot a loftie stile or curious phrase for I take not vppon mee to instruct but onely to remember your curteous acceptation I doubt not of from the former experience of your worthinesse Surely if the poore Persians water in a potsheard was exceptable to the Emperour and an Apple from a poore Pessant was received by Artaxerzes a great Prince if Alexander tooke curteously water from a common Souldiers helmet and our Sauiour crowned the poore widdow with everlasting prayse for two Mites to the Treasury your generous dispositions will sparingly censure and curteously accept these my poore labours which howsoeuer they bee your worships and so is the Author Yours in all humblenesse to continue THOMAS CARTER To the Reader AMongst all the blessings that God hath bestowed vpon vs curteous Reader the word of God next to our Sauiour challengeth the most eminent place as being the guide and direction vnto him and the instrument to preserue vs vnblameable in a froward and crooked generation The Prophet Zacharie speaketh of Zach. 9. last ver the wine that Christ doth offer to drinke whereof virgins are gendred and begotten other kind of wines are wont to kindle evill lusts but this wine the Gospell restraineth those lusts and maketh the heart pure hence is the instruction of our Lord to search the Scripture as being able to instruct the ignorant to reforme the vertuous and so to make perfect the man of God in all good workes This excellent vertue hauing drawne mee to a diligent study of sacred Writ and considering in the last worst dayes the great neglect of family dutyes frō whence springes so many corruptions in children and seruants being dayly spectators of the heads corruptions I haue thought it my duty not to let my Talent rest but by that small portion of knowledge God hath giuen vnto me to set vp some way-marke to direct others to the waters of Shiloh which run pleasantly to coole the heate of corruption and frowardnesse and to teach vs obedience privately and publikely If it bee obiected that many eminent men haue already sufficiently performed this worke I answer that another performing his duty excuseth not me Secondly none euer so fully and amply hath put to the presse dutyes in this nature as I can hereof Thirdly they came not to my hands till I had finished this worke It seemed thē necessary not to let it suffer obortion but to bring it to a charitacle view censure of the vnderstanding reader May it please you then to accept of these vnpolished yea vnsquared documents neither it may bee methodicall in respect of order nor curious in respect of phrase onely the token of a willing heart and affording some good generall motions if thou please to afford a little diligence in the reading and care in the prctising This performed I haue the end I ayme at and thus remaine thine ever in the Lord Thomas Carter The Introduction to the worke HEe that sayd the Iob. 7. 1. whole life of man was nothing else but a time of temptations spake most fearefully and yet most truly for we are tempted in our old age in our cradle we are not free if any euill bee set before vs we are provoked vnto it If we abound with Adam in Paradice there may be death in that And if wee want with our Sauiour in the wildernes there are temptations in that So subtill is Sathan and so envious is our enemie to serue himselfe vpon all occasions In the former age of the world hee wrought and prevailed with men by bringing errors of mind and doctrine of Diuels to seduce the Church but now the cleare light of the Gospell is come in knowledge doth abound he laboreth to bring in error of life and depravitie of conversation for that notwithstanding men know their maisters wil yet they performe it not that all meanes possible both the spirituall sword of the Minister temporal sword of the Magistrate ought to be vsed for the reformation of these known euils yea euery mā to set a hand to this worke amongst which nūber I haue brought forth my poore abortiue talent to farther the same labouring by reproofes to beate downe vice and by instructions to informe the Husband to loue his wife and the wife to obey her Husband the Father to bring vp his Children in the feare of God not provoking them to wrath and the Childrens obedience to their Parents the Maister to guide the seruant and the seruant to obey his Master in all things in the Lord what if I bee no Minister nor the sonne of a Minister Shepheards and clownes haue beene Diuines sometimes and why not I and therfore not doubting the entertaynement I set forward to the worke and first for the duty of Husbands The duty of Husbands The first Chapter ANd the cause why I haue first begun with this duty of Husbands is for that I find it to bee the first degree which God gaue vnto Man after his Creation therein that when God gaue vnto man the rule of the whole earth and the domination of all Gen. 2. the creatures therein contained yet vntill hee gaue vnto him a Wife hee had no true content in all the rest besides for euery creature had solace in their kind except Man but so was it not with Man till God gaue vnto Man had no true content till God gaue vnto him a Wife him a Wife Then finding her a companion fit to associate him selfe withall with her he setled his content And this did God for Man in the time of his innocencie giue vnto him this wife thereby leauing vnto vs this instruction that we also ought to liue so vprightly so holily and so purely in the state of wedlocke that we sinne not against God nor against one another And heere is one especiall thing to be noted that God
is required of women towards their husband of feare this is which is here required and how it must be performed for it is not a slauish kind of feare which is here required where the Apostle sayth your cōuersation must be in feare but here is required of you a holy conuersatiō zealous towards God and pure and vndefiled towards the world with vertue chastity modesty temperance sobriety faithfulnesse and louing obedience for surely shee that is fully possessed with these vertues will so loue and so liue that shee will feare to offend her Husband but rather yeeld all humility and obedience for the commandement sake thus by this holy cariage of your selues shall you winne those that are without the knowledge of God or his word to the knowledg both of him and his word when they shall behold your godly conversation in feare And see farther the mercy of our good God vnto whom he hath cōmitted you to be gouerned by not vnto your enemies or vnto strangers but vnto a kind louing Husband vnto whom you are as neere as the very flesh vnto his skin and as deare vnto him as the aple of his eye whose tender harted affections are alwaies yeelding vnto a dutifull louing wife I hope now that good wiues will willingly yeeld vnto this their duty of obedience vnto their Husbands seeing by whom it is commanded and to whom it ought to be done And the rather for that the mercy of God doth extend it selfe vnto them euen to the full in that notwithstanding their transgression against him yet he hath ordayned them to eternall salvation by the merits of his 1. Tim. 2. beloued Sonne the words are worthy your best obseruation and these they are Notwithstanding through bearing of Children shee shall bee saued if they continue in the faith and loue and holinesse with modesty see here the benefit of Mariage which bringeth so great a blessing with it And note I beseech you you that are women of vnderstanding here is saluatiō offered vnto you by bearing of Children indeed but it is with a prouiso if if you continue in the faith and loue and holinesse with modesty you must yeeld all The first duty of the Wife is obedience harty obedience vnto the blessed will of God else what is the fruits of your faith or where is it or the hope of your saluatiō so you see it alludes vnto al these vertues I formerly spake of and the obedience which God himselfe commandeth for all these should bee in women for if you marke it as it is worthy your marking you shall see that al our poeticall paynters wheresoeuer they doe paynt or set forth any of the vertues as Faith Hope Eight chiefe vertues which ought to be in women Loue Charity Patience Chastity Temperance Humility the like all these they doe not set forth vnto vs in the shaddow of men but in the shaddow of women shewing thereby that in them these vertues dwell or should at the leastwise I will run no farther in this poynt of obedience but will turne mee to the next duty of the Wife which is Loue. The Eight Chapter ANd now concerning the duty of Loue The second duty of the Wife is Loue. which euery woman ought to performe vnto her Husband I haue in some manner touched it before as occasion serued in the duty of obedience for indeed they are as too twins they goe hand in hand one with another and may not well bee Obedience and Loue ought not to be separated separated for where there is true obedience rightly performed there also loue will be attendant as an agent helpe to performe the businesse and in deed it is so naturall a thing for a woman to loue a man that we would think she needed not be prompted or to bee instructed in this poynt but to performe it truly faithfully as it ought to be I thinke wee shall scarce find one in fiue that doth it no not among ten I pray God there bee one in 20 And yet I make no doubt but that a woman loueth her Husband when she marrieth with him but the Apostle saith shee must continue in loue Why then it appeareth that the loue shee must performe vnto her Husband must be like the ring wherwith he marrieth her What the Marriage ring doth signifie it must haue no end it must continue as long as shee continues to him yea if it be to the end of her life and as the ring is not of any mixt or base mettall but of the most precious pure mettal which may be so it teacheth the woman that the loue shee must performe vnno her Husband must bee pure holy and chast it must allow no mixture no copartner in this fellowship but she must remember to performe the vow shee made in the presence of God and before his Saints at the time of her Marriage that shee would keepe her selfe onely vnto him so long as shee should liue with him and this you see the ceremony or vse of the ring teacheth and therefore with great and good consideration hath our Church ordayned the vse of it and great in the error of those men which refuse at such times to make vse of it And now I haue begune to speake of this vow which the woman maketh vnto her Husband at the time of her Marriage it giueth me an occasion to take notice of the small regard that women for the most part doe take of this businesse for if wee note the conuersation of A woman ought to haue regard of the vow that shee maketh at the time of her marriage Wiues vnto their Husbands in these times it will appeare as I sayd for the most part that they neuer regard that vow they made or know that they haue made any at all for sure I thinke there bee some so brutish they know it not but rather thinke they bee but words of course or ceremonial rites of the Church and not concerne them at all yea I doe know there bee such but alasse their errors is exceeding great in taking so little regard of so waighty a cause But I beseech you in the feare Note of God note what I shal say vnto you concerning this matter for you shal see it is a vow which shee promiseth with her lips yea and a great vow and such a one as in the whole course of her life shee cannot make a greater for if a woman shall say or protest Numb 5. she will doe such or such a thing this is a vow shee bindeth her selfe to performe it but as I said before If her Husband hearing her shall disallow of it and shall say shee shall not doe it shee is then freed from her vow because of his authority ouer her and it is sayd the Lord shall forgiue her for vowing so we see then it is a sinne for a woman to vow or protest to doe any
thing if she performe it not vnlesse it bee contradicted by her Husband But here the case is otherwise and farre more greater for wheÌ„ shee commeth to be Married to a man shee is then solie of her selfe free from the command of any and hath free liberty to doe then for her selfe what shee How great a sinne it is to breake the vow made in Matrimony will and therefore her vow shee then maketh is of very great effect and it is as great a sinne to breake it great indeed in the regard of these things the place where shee made it the house of God the congregation there the Saints of God but far more greater in respect shee is demanded if she will performe these things by the Angell and Minister of God in Gods behalfe shee then there answereth she will So wee find when God had determined to giue his chosen people the Children of Israell his law whereby they might know how to performe their duty vnto him hee sent his seruant Moses vnto them to know if they would performe the law which he was to giue them and they answered they would performe it but as rhe Lord did tell them after hee had giuen them the Lawes That if they did not regard his Commandements and obey Exâ— 19. his will hee would send his punishment A proofe by example that God will punish the breach of the vow made in matrimony vpon them in abundance vntill hee had vtterly consumed them so I must say vnto euery woman that regardeth not her vow and promise which shee maketh at the time of her marriage and doth not endeauour to performe the same as shee ought to doe let her assure her selfe shee shall no lesse expect the iudgement and punishment of God then they did Looke in your Booke of common The Booke of common prayer a looking glasse for women to see their duties in Prayer in the solemnizatioÌ„ of Matrimony and there you shall see what you haue vowed to performe it is that you will liue with your Husbands according to the ordinance and Commandements of God that you will obey and serue them and this you see God hath commanded you to doe what greater vow then this can you make and it followeth more there that you vow to loue honour and keepe them in sicknesse and in health so here you see that loue is the next thing for the woman here to doe and this also shee voweth freely of her selfe to performe also the next and last shee voweth to forsake all other men and to keepe her selfe wholy onely to her Husband here is the effect and end of her loue to be chast pure and without spot this is the loue which wiues ought to performe to their Husbands I know all those which feare God will acknowledge performe as much but I appeale vnto themselues euen against their owne sect if there bee not too many in these dayes which liue so brutish so obstinate and rebellious against God and theiâ— Husbands that they seeme not to know that either they owe this loue as a duty vnto their Husbands or haue made so great a vow to performe it Looke but into one of their actes let the rest though many alone I meane their breach of wedlocke those Adultrous workes and then where is this loue how many forsake their Husbands vnto whom they haue made this vow of Loue and chastity and yet liue adulterously with other men oh how many The abhomominable whoredome of women haue their secret friends loues as they terme them at home in their Husbands absence or meeting them abroad in priuate places nay haunting common brothell houses so insatiate that euen whores in stewes are not more common and what is the cause of this but their disobedience vnto the Commandement of God which would direct theÌ„ to performe this duty of Loue holily as it ought to be if they would But shall I display their actions abroad with my pen oh no if I should I should weary my selfe with writing and you in reading it they themselues by their lewd actions dayly committed doe too much explaine themselues to the world and therefore to tell such their duty to their Husbands which will not learne to performe their duty towards GOD will bee but vaine before such swine I will not cast such pearles But to those which desire to know their duty to the end they may performe it to these I write still let their loue bee pure and steadfast and their whole conuersation so holy that as the Apostle telleth them others may bee wonne by their godly ensamples and so shall they themselues be brought vnto eternall happinesse The Ninth Chapter OVr blessed Apostle hauing giuen instructioÌ„s vnto Women how they ought to behaue themselues towards their Husbands now proceedes to giue instructions vnto them also how to tyre and array themselues whose apparrell sayth he shall 1. Pet. 3. not bee outward with brayded haire and hanging on of gold or in putting Women ought not to array themselues in gorgeous apparell but in decent aâ—tirâ— on of gorgeous array but let the inward man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which before God is much set by for after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God ttyre themselues â— were obedient vnto their Husbands euen as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord againe in another place he fayth let the women array themselues in 1. Tim. â— comely apparrell with shamefostnesse and modesty not with broyded hayre or gold or pearles or costly apparrell but as becommeth women which professe the feare of God with good workes I doe not a little admire that Many women haue read concerning these things yet make no good vse of it as they ought to doe so many women which would bee accounted wise in their knowledge haue themselues so often read these things and been so long instructed in these principals yet seeme either not that euer they themselues haue read such things or euer haue heard them of others for I am sure so it seemeth in these dayes amongst them for the most part but shal I tell you you haue learned from the greatest to the meanest and the eldest to the yongest to adore decke your selues according to the fashions of the world which shall perish and they which delight in them but to array decke your selues with modesty and shamefastnes and such comely apparrell as becommeth those that professe the feare of God in this you are all to seeke or disdaine to learne to know although God by his word commandeth it of you But if there bee any amongst you which maketh conscience of these things and so striue to liue according as they ought to Women giueÌ„ to pride mockers and scoffers of those whiaâ— do religiously reforme them selues doe are not such disdayned and
must teach his Children the lawes of God his Commandements his will his word for so the Prophet Dauid plainely sheweth setting Psalme 78. downe to what end thou must do this to the intent that wheÌ„ they come vp they might shew their Children the same that they might put their trust in God and not to forget the workes of God but to keepe his Commandements This then is the duty which thou arâ— commanded to doe and thâ—â— must not 〈◊〉 the doing of it neyther thou must not tary Parents ought not to deferre the teaching of their children in their youth til they bee men and women and so as thou thinkest come then to the capacity of vnderstanding no thou must teach it thy Children while they be children and thy wisedome must giue them helpe to vnderstand it that so it may be grounded into them in the time of their youth for look with what the vessell is first seasoned with of that it wil alwaies beare the tast This duty did old Abraham well know although he liued almost a Thousand yeares before the Law was giuen vnto the people of Israel for so God himselfe testifieth of him saying That hee knew that hee would command his Sonnes to keepe the waies of the Lord note the place I pray you for it is worth the noting see how familiar God himselfe is with Abraham hee vouchsafeth to talke Gen. 18. with him familiarly as one man How dearely God loueth them which teach and instruct their Children and Family his Commandements doth with another nay as one friend doth with another for he openeth his very secrets vnto him what greater signe of loue can be shall I saith God hide from Abraham the thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall bee indeed a great and a mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him and here followeth the reason of all For I know him sayth God that he will command his sonnes his houshould after him that they keepe the waies of the Lord now What the duty of Parents is you see what the duty of a Father or Mother is namely to teach their Children the Commandements of God but hee hath not done with thee yet God goeth further with thee stil because thou shalt haue no excuse in not doing it most graciously hee doth vochsafe to teach vs also how wee shall performe When they ought to teach them this Commandement namely thus Thou must teach them these thinges when thou sittest in thine house when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe when thou risest vp thou must doe this and thou must not dare to neglect or leaue this vndone neither For God threateneth his Deu. 28. Leui. 26. Ier. 48. and 49 owne chosen people not onely to punish them with grieuous punishments but euen their land also if they disobey his Commandements wee haue many places in Scripture to approue this vnto vs but let me tell thee one thing by the way if thou be The man which knoweth not his duty how can he teach it his Children not well instructed in this duty thy selfe thou canst neuer teach it vnto thy Children for how can a man teach another man or his sonne or seruant any art mysterie or trade wherein he himselfe hath no knowledge therefore see thou bee able to teach them thy selfe it will not serue thy turne to set them to schoole and to appoynt them Maisters Tutors to teach them and yet these be good men for it and it is thy duty so to doe but it is not sufficient Thou must also teach them thy selfe and be a principall teacher of them for thou must teach them at al times in al places as thou seest in Deu. 6. when thou Deut. 6. walkest and when thou sittest when thou risest in the morning and in the euening before thou goe to bed thou must not take thine owne ease nor refresh thy selfe with sleepe vntill thou hast performed this thy duty vnto God The Twelueth Chapter BVt it may bee thou wilt goe about to excuse thy selfe in this case as many doe in these dayes and say would you haue mee performe these thinges I am not bookish I cannot reade therefore how should I teach them these things being an ignorant man but deceiue not thy selfe whomsoeuer thou be father or mother for I tell thee ignorance shall be no excuse vnto thee the servant that doth not the will of his Maister shall be beaten for it yea although he knew it not and why because it is the duty of euery seruant to seeke euen with diligence to know the will of his Maister and to doe it Nay thou canst not pleade ignorance though thou wouldest for none can doe it for Moses telleth Deu. 30. thee that this Commandement is not hidden from thee it is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp to bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that wee may doe it neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall goe fetch it vs and so cause vs to doe it but it is very neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart for to doe it and Saint Paule telleth vs Rom. 10. plainely this is the very same which we preach vnto you If then it bee so that wee may dayly heare it to our great comfort euen at our doores in euery Parish Church how then can wee pleade ignorance if the servant I tould you of shal be beaten which doth not the will of his Maister though hee know it not how much shal he be beaten with many stripes which doth refuse to know his will as too many in these dayes doe and thus you see there can bee no excuse thorough ignorance so that euery man must labour to bee so furnished Euery man must labour to be furnished with knowledge that hee may thereby instruct his Family with knowledge that hee may bee able thereby to instruct his owne Children and family and because it must be done continually both in the morning in the euening both when thou sittest at home and when thou walkest abroad beware that thou doe not as too many doe which when they haue see their Children to say the Lords Prayer to rehearse their beliefe and the Ten CoÌ„mandements doe thiâ—â—e that then they haue done enough for the whole day though neither themselues nor al the house besides doe halfe so much O lamentable case this must not bee but when thou hast In what manner it ought to be done taught them to pray thou also must pray with them calling thy whole Family together and so make your selues a holy congregation vnto God by humble prostrating your selues vnto him that so as ye all haue recieued of him your preseruation and quiet rest the night passed euen so all of you may ioyne together in giuing him thankes for so great a blessing
mistaâ—â—e me nor for though I haue shewed that a father ought â—â—do thus for his sonne yet I doe not say he ought to doe this for a disobedient wicked or vnthriftie son for such a one I haue shewed ought to bee punished by the Magistrate and that seuerely neither did the father of this prodigall giue him a new portion wheÌ„ hee had ryoted away that which That this priuiledge belongeth not vnto lewd and wicked children he gaue him although vpon his repentance he receiued him into his fauour againe neither doe we finde that any of these aforenamed gaue any double portion Gen. 27. to any of their sonnes Isaok had but one blessing to giue though hee had two sonnes nay these men did giue these portions vnto their sons at the time of their deathes but not before but if a father for the aduancement of his sonne bee pleased out of his loue to spare him som part of his goods while hee doth liue yet if hee wastfully royotously consume it I see not that his father Parents supplying the wnats of vicious children becommeth authors of their vnthriftinesse should feede him with a new supply for so he may be authour of his sonnes vnthriftinesse And thus briefely you see how a man may or should dispose of his goods by the rule of the word of God and this may suffice to satisfie our pollitition for this matter The duty of Children The 18. Chapter ANd now concerning the duty of Children whereof I am purposed to write indeede there was neuer more neede to write of these thinges then now and neuer more teaching of them then in these dayes but neuer was instructions either by word or writing lesse regarded of them then now they be And no maruaile for if God himselfe haue spoken and none would heare him if hee haue stretched out his hands none Esai 1. would regard so that hee hath beene forced to cry out vnto the The great disobedience both of men and children in former ages heauens and the earth to beare witnesse of the disobedience of his Children if it bee thus with men of vnderstanding what will it bee with Children if it were thus with men thousands of yeares agoe what will it be with Children in these times if the Apostles of Christ were mocked Act. 2. and sayd to be full of new wine when they preached the word of God vnto the people and Luke 3. Christ himselfe despised for teaching them and sayd to haue a diuell in him surely if grace feare of God were then fled froÌ„ men what hope shall wee haue to finde it now in Children who haue beene disobedient euen froÌ„ the beginning scoffers mockers as Ismaell of Isack Ham of his owne father and of the saints Prophets of God as of Elisha But bee wise ye children and take heed for neuer such did escape the heauie iudgements of God nor neuer shall in time to come as appeareth by these Ismaell cast out of his fathers Gen. 21. house and fauour yet his first borne sonne Ham also not onely Gen. 9. loosing the blessing of his father but both hee and his posterity became accursed the Children which wicked Elish 42. of 2. King 2. theÌ„ deuour'd by two shee Beares well I will yet with patience rest in hope if Ionas be commanded Ionah 1. to preach against Nineue he may not leaue to doe it fly to Tharsus my maister hath giuen mee a talent to vse shall I lay it vp in a napkin for him noe I dare not doe so but I say still for Sions sake I will not be silent but with Salomon exhort you that be childreÌ„ Prou. 4. to heare the instruction of a father and to giue eare to learne vnderstanding despise not instructions by Good counsell ought not to be refused by whomsoeuer giuen whomsoeuer it be taught whether from the mouth of a learned diuine or of a lay man for gold of it selfe is pure in what base thing soeuer it bee put and the diamond is stil precious though God the author of all good things proceeding from man it lye in the dunghill neither is there any good thing that can proceede from the heart of man but by the powerfull working of the spirit of God therefore let mee intreate you who hearts God shall moue with desire to seeke the knowledge of your duty to reade these few chapters following wherein I haue briefely set downe what duty you owe and must performe vnto your Parents if you meane to please God And although I write these things vnto children yet for that the younger sort for want of yeares are not able to vnderstand them I will leaue these ABC trewants whose delight is rather in their play theÌ„ learning and will addresse my words to those of more riper yeares whose time should shew their knowledg hauing loÌ„g since learned past the graces and now haue their rules by roate without booke what said I that they are past grace by learning too many rules without booke yea indeed it is true therfore I may the bolder speake it though with griefe for wee see many in these dayes which should haue knowledge by their learning but doe The great abuse which schollers make of their learning shew by the leawdnesse of their liues that grace hath not yet wrought any good knowledge in them but that they haue learned too many rules without booke as I sayd for in Gods booke or any other good booke I am sure they neuer learned such things There be many such schollers Youth comming to learne lattine and yet forget their Primer lessons that haue learned many lattine bookes ouer but haue quite forgotten their English Primer lessons to beleeue in God and to keepe his Commandements therefore to the end they may become good schollers in Gods schoole it shall not be amisse to put them to conne ouer their old lessons againe of their obedience vnto their Parents Honour thy Exo. 20. Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and it is not amisse for others neither it may doe well for both let none despise it the wiser sort I am sure will not It hath pleased the Almighty and powrefull God which worketh all in all thinges for a secret Iudgement and purpose and for his owne godly will and pleasure to prouide and appoynt an howre in the which thy Father and Mother should come together to the end that thou thorough them mightest bee made he was present with thee in the wombe of thy mother fashioned thee and breathed life into thee and for the great loue hee beare vnto thee provided milke in thy mothers breasts against thou wast borne mooÌ„ed also thy Father and Mother and all other to loue thee to pitty thee and to nourish thee and as hee hath made thee through them so hath
he cast thee vnder the power authority of them to obey and serue them in his stead and to that end hath giuen thee a speciall Commandement euen from his owne mouth that thou shalt Honous thy Father and thy Mother Exod 20. Leui. 19. which is not onely vnderstood in the outward ceremoniall actions as putting off the hatt or bowing the knee but thou must The duties which good children ought to performe vnto their Parents also loue them with all thy hart feare and dread them and waite on their Commandements and seeke their worship wil and profit in all things and as it were to giue euen thy life for the contenting of them counting them worthy of all honour which thou maist procure vnto them remembring that thou art their good and possession that thou owest vnto them euen thy owne selfe all that thou art able to doe yea and more then thou art able to doe Vnderstand also that whatsoeuer thou dost vnto them bee it A good note for children to regard good or euill thou dost it euen vnto God and when thou dost displease them thou displeasest God and when they are angry with thee in aÌ„y good cause God is angry with thee neither is it possible for thee to come into the fauour of God againe no though all the Angels of heauen should pray for thee vntill thou haue submitted thy selfe vnto thy Father and Mother againe and therefore thou must be very wary and circumspect to performe this thy obedience vnto thy father with the true zeale of thy hart thou must not onely bee obedient for feare of their displeasure correction or punishment neither must thou obey them for hope of reward or some benefit which thou doest expect from them this hypocritical obedience is not that which How farre the duty of children extendeth God commandeth thee to performe and to which hee hath gieuen a blessing no I tell thee God will iudge and punish thee if thou dost not performe this obedience vnto them euen with the sinceritie of their heart and in vprightnesse of conscience for he beholdeth the heart and according to the vprightnesse of it God doth iudge For he is that powerfull God that created the heauen and the earth of nothing and that of Gen. 1. the dust of the earth hath made thee onely to serue and obey him and hee it is that commandeth thee to this obedience that thou honour thy father and thy A principall note to be obserued in God thus placing this Comman dement mother and note how hee hath placed this Commandement for it is worthy thy obseruation God hauing giuen vnto man but Ten Commandements and but foure of them concerning the duty of man vnto him the other Sixe concerning the duty of man vnto man and yet as the most principall of them all hee hath put this formest of the Sixe Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother and well knew hee that placed that formest in the rancke that that was the right place for it that he that would not obey reuerence and honour his owne Parents would likewise neglect and forget his duty vnto other men and therefore as an introduction instruction to that which followeth hee doth begin with this Honour thy father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and see the great mercy of our God which to the performers of this his Commandement vnto which we are by duty double bound to performe he is pleased to giue a blessing And as hee commandeth it Luke 2. there so likewise in many other places he doth the like the Prophets and Apostles do likewise teach the same and therefore if you will be childreÌ„ of God your heauenly Father and liue vnder the obedience of his command without which you cannot but perish euerlastingly you must performe this his will and command in this that you honour obâ—y your Parents yea ye shall Leu. 19. euery man feare his Father and Mother saith God consider in what manner you ought to performe this you shall stand in awfull dread of your Parents not of the rod or of their correction onely as I said no no such servile feare but considering their deare and naturall loue towards thee how tenderly carefully louingly they haue nourished thee euen from thy birth still do seeke thy good by all meanes possible In respect of this their great loue vnto thee which thou Worthy notes for Children to regard didst neuer deserue nor neuer canst satisfie thou oughtest likewise in thy loue to them againe to be euen so iealous of thy selfe that thou shouldest feare least in any thing thou doest thou shouldest offend such louing Parents this is that feare which thou oughtest to performe vnto them and which God requireth of thee The 19. Chapter ANd seeing wee are now entred into this duty of Children which God by his diuine wisdome hath compiled in these few words Honour thy Father and thy Mother and yet in them hath included the whole summe of all duties which ought to be performed vnto them which though I haue begun to touch in the former Chapter yet for that I am to speake vnto Children it shall not be amisse if I doe somewhat inlarge this matter for as I sayd before it is not to be vnderstood to be onely in the putting off the cap or â—owing the knee and yet these things must bee done because by these outward thinges thou dost seeme to giue honour vnto them Thou must not as too many The reverence which children ought to performâ— vnto their Parents and how to honour them proud youthes do in these daies stand in the presence of thy father mother with thy heâ—d couered yea and that amongst strangers and talke vnto them as boldly saucily as it were vnto their fellowes or equales is this the honouring thy Father thy Mother nay this is to dishonour them for in their presence thou oughtest not to stand but with great reuerence if they bee in any company thy regard should bee more in performing of this duty in giuing vnto them the more honour and because thou canst not better performe thy honour vnto them then by obeying them nor greater dishonour them then by being disobedient vnto them though I haue touched it before where I sayd thou owest vnto them euen all thy whole endeauours whatsoeuer thou canst doe therefore thou must bee ready and willing at all times in all places to performe their lawfull commandements at their becke and word to run goe and to show all good obedience vnto them that may bee Thou must not bee like that Mat. 2â— disobedient sonne whom his father â—ad to goe worke in his vineyard and hee answered hee would but did not neither must thou answer as the other did who said hee would not yet afterward went For thou must